My wife has the Specialized Ruby with the future shock and I have the Trek Domane with ISO Speed. To both of us they are not gimmicks and really work. My Domane is by far the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden. There is a small trade off with added weight and some complexity over a bike without but the trade off is still better. If my bike got stolen tomorrow, I would buy the same one to replace it. Is it for everyone? Don't think so. It really depends on the type of riding you do and what you want out of a bicycle.